*Wander safe, wander local. Check your region’s local health guidelines before heading out.
You’ve heard the word and maybe you’ve even seen Instagram pics of colourful charcuterie boards, and if you’re lucky you’ve sampled this meaty treat yourself (in case you wondered, it’s pronounced shahr-ku-tuh-ree).
Charcuterie is originally a French word that literally translates to “pork butcher shop” which is so unimaginative we’re happy to use the term charcuterie instead! Traditionally a cured meat only platter, today charcuterie refers to elaborate spreads of cured meats and cheeses, interlaced with exotic olives, jellies and rich spreads to create a sweet and savoury experience.
Creating an epic charcuterie board is not an easy task, it’s all about the combination of flavours and how best to complement the sweet, spicy, and salty to best effect.
We sought out the best, the funnest, and the most epic charcuterie boards in Ontario’s Highlands and are sharing them here with you, today. This is a choose your own adventure experience, you can dine in, take out, or make it at home using the destinations below.
Charcut-a-What?
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- Charcut-a-Cone from The Pickled Pig
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- Charcuterie box from The Perth Cheese Shop
These Lanark County eateries have made sure no cured meat is left unserved, COVID-19 or no. Head to The Perth Cheese Shop in Perth to try their Charcut-a-Cone, a to-go, take-out dish that serves up everything you would find in an awesome charcuterie board. At The Pickled Pig you can “pig out” (pun intended) on their Charcuterie for Two (to go) and they also offer their own version of a Charcut-a-Cone. Take either of these dishes home and enjoy in the privacy of your own home. Consider ordering a charcuterie gift box from either location.
Serve with: Serve with local brews from Weatherhead Brewing Co. or Perth Brewery in Perth or 4 Degrees Brewing Co. in Smiths Falls for the full and flavourful effect.
All the Charcuterie Fixings
Charcuterie from The Barn Chefs
Making an epic charcuterie board begins with quality of the ingredients you use. The Barn Chefs brings the taste of Italy to the small community of Coe Hill, Ontario, where they sell their handcrafted Italian cured and cooked meats, artisan breads, and buffalo milk cheeses. *Call to place an order and please note they are closed in January and February.
Seed to Sausage in Sharbot Lake is another spot to pick up handcrafted and cured meats (and they ship across Ontario); try their house cured ham, genoa salami, or duck prosciutto. In Pembroke, Ullrich’s is the place to go for cured meats and cheeses – their smoked chorizo and prosciutto meats will complement any charcuterie board.
Serve with: Pair your meats with sheep cheese from Back 40 Artisan Cheese in Ompah or Ivanhoe Cheese in Madoc. Your charcuterie board can only be improved when complemented by a full flavoured cider from Kings Mill Cider.
Dine-In Charcuterie
Charcuterie board from 7/62 Craft Brewery – gluten free!
When you find a restaurant that makes an awesome charcuterie – take note; these are the places you will end up coming back to again and again, drawn by the killer combination of sweet and savoury. For a charcuterie board loaded with rich meats and cheeses and accompanied by the best olives, jellies, and spreads, head to Black Tartan Kitchen in Carleton Place or Canthooks Restaurant at Calabogie Peaks Resort. Both offer their own special twist on charcuterie (and Canthooks makes theirs with meats from Ullrich’s, mentioned above).
Serve with: The boards at 7/62 Craft Brewers in Madoc come loaded with crusty bread (or crackers), meats, cheeses, hot peppers, raisins, and more, and will be even more delicious when paired with a flight of beer. At Haliburton Highlands Brewing you can build your own board choosing from artisanal meats and cheeses, paired with yummy chutneys and spreads, and of course paired with a frosty brew.